Array substrate and fabrication method thereof, display panel and fabrication method thereof

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the disclosure provide an array substrate and a fabrication method thereof, and a display panel and a fabrication method thereof. A passivation layer of the array substrate is made of a black insulation material and the passivation layer is provided with an opening at a pixel display region of the array substrate. The passivation layer is simultaneously used as a black matrix, and thus the aperture ratio of the display panel is effectively increased.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an array substrate and afabrication method of an array substrate, and a display panel and afabrication method of a display panel.

BACKGROUND

Thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) dominates thedisplay market. According to one technique, the TFT-LCD comprises anarray substrate, an opposite substrate and a liquid crystal layerprovided between the array substrate and the opposite substrate.

A structure of the opposite substrate is shown in FIG. 1 (a)-FIG. 1 (b).As shown in FIG. 1 (a)-FIG. 1 (b), the opposite substrate comprises abase substrate 141, a black matrix 142, a color filter layer 143 (forexample, comprising a red filter unit 143R, a green filter unit 143G,and a blue filter unit 143B), and a columnar spacer 150. The blackmatrix 142 prevents light leakage between pixels and prevents colormixture so as to increase color purity and color contrast.

A structure of the array substrate (i.e. TFT substrate) is shown in FIG.2. As shown in FIG. 2, the array substrate comprises a base substrate111, and a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines formedon the base substrate 111. The plurality of gate lines and the pluralityof data lines intersect with each other to define a plurality of pixelunits. Each pixel unit comprises a pixel electrode 130 and a thin filmtransistor. The thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode 112, agate insulation layer 113, an active layer, a source electrode 116 and adrain electrode 117 that are formed on the base substrate 111. Theactive layer comprises a semiconductor layer 114 and a dopedsemiconductor layer 115.

The array substrate and the opposite substrate are bonded with eachother, and the black matrix on the opposite substrate covers the gateline, the data line and the thin film transistor on the array substrate.Light leakage may occur at an edge of the pixel unit due to misalignmentof the array substrate and the opposite substrate. Thus, the blackmatrix has to be widened, which however results in a decrease of theaperture ratio.

SUMMARY

In some embodiments, an array substrate is provided. A passivation layerof the array substrate is made of a black insulation material and thepassivation layer is provided with an opening at a pixel display regionof the array substrate.

In some embodiments, a display panel is provided. The display panelcomprises the above-described array substrate.

In some embodiments, a fabrication method of an array substrate isprovided. The method comprises: forming a thin film transistor, a gateline, and a data line on a base substrate; and forming a blackinsulation material film on the base substrate, and forming apassivation layer by a patterning process. The passivation layer isprovided with an opening at a pixel display region.

In some embodiments, a fabrication method of a display panel isprovided. The method comprises a fabrication method of an arraysubstrate as described above and a fabrication method of an oppositesubstrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to clearly illustrate the technical solution of the embodimentsof the disclosure, the drawings of the embodiments will be brieflydescribed in the following; it is obvious that the described drawingsare only related to some embodiments of the disclosure and thus are notlimitative of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 (a)-FIG. 1 (b) are respectively a plan view and a sectional viewillustrating an opposite substrate according to one technique;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating an array substrate according toone technique;

FIG. 3 (a)-FIG. 3 (b) are respectively a plan view and a sectional viewillustrating an array substrate according to some embodiments of thedisclosure;

FIG. 4 (a)-FIG. 4 (b) are respectively a plan view and a sectional viewillustrating an opposite substrate according to some embodiments of thedisclosure; and

FIG. 5 (a)-FIG. 5 (f) are sectional views illustrating a fabricationmethod of an array substrate according to some embodiments of thedisclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

In order to make objects, technical details and advantages of theembodiments of the disclosure apparent, the technical solutions of theembodiment will be described in a clearly and fully understandable wayin connection with the drawings related to the embodiments of thedisclosure. It is obvious that the described embodiments are just a partbut not all of the embodiments of the disclosure. Based on the describedembodiments herein, those skilled in the art can obtain otherembodiment(s), without any inventive work, which should be within thescope of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 (a)-FIG. 3 (b) are respectively a plan view and a sectional viewillustrating an array substrate according to some embodiments of thedisclosure. The array substrate comprises a base substrate 11 and aplurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines that are formed onthe base substrate 11. The plurality of gate lines and the plurality ofdata lines intersect with each other to define a plurality of pixelunits. Each pixel unit comprises a pixel electrode 30 and a thin filmtransistor. The thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode 12, agate insulation layer 13, an active layer, a source electrode 16 and adrain electrode 17 that are formed on the base substrate 11. The activelayer comprises a semiconductor layer 14 and a doped semiconductor layer15. A passivation layer 20 is provided on the thin film transistor, andthe passivation layer 20 has a via hole 19. The pixel electrode 30 isconnected with the drain electrode 17 of the thin film transistorthrough the via hole 19.

The passivation layer 20 is made of a black insulation material. Thepassivation layer 20 is provided with an opening at a pixel displayregion (i.e., a region corresponding to the pixel electrode 30) of thearray substrate so that the pixel display region is not covered by thepassivation layer 20. The passivation layer 20 covers the gate line, thedata line and the thin film transistor.

A relative dielectric constant of the black insulation material is 6-7.An optical density of the passivation layer (i.e. the layer made of theblack insulation material) is no less than 4. Further, a thickness ofthe passivation layer 20 is no less than

${\frac{4}{n}\mspace{14mu} {\mu m}},$

where n represents the optical density of the black insulation materialwith a thickness of 1 micron. In some embodiments, the thickness of thepassivation layer is no more than 1 micron.

The black insulation material is high in relative dielectric constantand is high in optical density (OD). The optical density represents alight-shielding ability of a material. The optical density has no unit.The optical density is the logarithm of the ratio between the incidentlight and the transmission light, or is the logarithm of the reciprocalof light transmittance.

In some embodiments, the black insulation material is a photosensitiveresin mixed with black pigment or a thermosetting resin mixed with blackpigment.

The passivation layer is made of the black insulation material ratherthan the conventional material for forming the passivation layer (forexample, silicon nitride). The mask plate used for forming the via holeis designed so that the passivation layer covering the gate line, thedata line and the thin film transistor is retained, and the passivationlayer at the via hole and the passivation layer at the pixel displayregion are removed. Thus, the passivation layer retained on the arraysubstrate is simultaneously used as a black matrix. Since the blackmatrix is formed directly on the array substrate, the misalignment inthe subsequent bonding process is avoided, and the aperture ratio isensured. In addition, since the passivation layer is simultaneously usedas the black matrix, the fabrication process is simplified so that thefabrication efficiency is improved.

In some embodiments, the thin film transistor of the array substrate hasa bottom gate structure. In some embodiments, the thin film transistorof the array substrate has a top gate structure or other modifiedstructures.

According to some embodiments, a display panel is provided. The displaypanel comprises the array substrate as described above. The displaypanel further comprises an opposite substrate and a liquid crystal layerprovided between the array substrate and the opposite substrate. In someembodiments, the opposite substrate does not comprise the black matrix.

In some embodiments, since the passivation layer of the array substrateis made of the black insulation material and the passivation layer isprovided with the opening at the pixel display region, the passivationlayer of the array substrate is simultaneously used as the black matrixand the opposite substrate is not provided with the black matrix.

In some embodiments, the display panel is a liquid crystal display panelformed by bonding the array substrate as described above and theopposite substrate provided with the black matrix.

FIG. 4 (a)-FIG. 4 (b) are respectively a plan view and a sectional viewillustrating the opposite substrate according to some embodiments. Theopposite substrate comprises a base substrate 41, a color filter layer43 (for example, comprising a red filter unit 43R, a green filter unit43G and a blue filter unit 43B) and a columnar spacer 50. In someembodiments, an outer surface of the color filter layer 43 is coveredwith a protective layer 44. In some embodiments, the opposite substratefurther comprises a transparent conductive layer 45.

In the TFT-LCD display panel of ADS mode or IPS mode, the transparentconductive layer 45 is provided on a side of the base substrate 41opposite to the color filter layer 43, so as to serve as a shieldelectrode layer to shield the interference of the external electricfield. In the TFT-LCD display panel of TN mode, the transparentconductive layer 45 is provided on the color filter layer 43 to serve asa common electrode layer. The transparent conductive layer is made ofITO, IZO or other transparent conductive materials. The color filterlayer is a matrix of color photoresist.

In some embodiments, the opposite substrate does not comprise the blackmatrix, and thereby the adverse influence of the segment difference atthe pixel corner on the surface evenness of the opposite substrate iseliminated.

FIG. 4 (a)-FIG. 4 (b) illustrate that the color filter layer 43 and thespacer 50 are both formed on the opposite substrate. However, in someembodiments, one or both of the color filter layer 43 and the spacer 50are formed on the array substrate.

According to some embodiments, a fabrication method of the arraysubstrate is provided. The method comprises the following steps.

S11: forming the thin film transistor, the gate line, and the data lineon a base substrate; and

S12: forming a black insulation material film on the base substrateafter the step S11, and forming the passivation layer by a patterningprocess. The passivation layer covers the gate line, the data line andthe thin film transistor, the passivation layer is provided with the viahole at the drain electrode of the thin film transistor, and thepassivation layer is provided with the opening at the pixel displayregion.

In some embodiments, the step S11 further comprises the following steps.

S101: depositing a gate metal film on the base substrate, and formingthe gate electrode and the gate line by a patterning process;

S102: forming the gate insulating layer on the base substrate after thestep S102; and

S103: depositing a semiconductor thin film, a doped semiconductor thinfilm and a source-drain metal film on the base substrate after the stepS103, and forming the active layer, the data line, the source electrode,the drain electrode and a TFT channel by a patterning process.

FIG. 5 (a)-FIG. 5 (f) are sectional views illustrating the fabricationmethod of the array substrate according to some embodiments of thedisclosure. FIG. 5 (a) illustrates that the gate electrode 12 is formedon the base substrate. FIG. 5 (b) illustrates that the gate insulationlayer 13 is formed. FIG. 5 (c) illustrates that the active layer(comprising the semiconductor layer 14 and the doped semiconductor layer15), the source electrode 16 and the drain electrode 17 are formed. FIG.5 (d) illustrates that the passivation layer 20 is formed by using theblack insulation material. FIG. 5 (e) illustrates that the passivationlayer 20 is provided with the via hole 19 at the drain electrode of thethin film transistor and the passivation layer 20 is provided with theopening at the pixel display region. FIG. 5 (f) illustrates that thepixel electrode layer 30 is formed.

In some embodiments, the relative dielectric constant of the blackinsulation material is 6-7. The optical density of the passivation layer(i.e. the layer made of the black insulation material) is no less than4. Further, the thickness of the passivation layer 20 is no less than

${\frac{4}{n}\mspace{14mu} {\mu m}},$

wherein n represents the optical density of the black insulationmaterial layer with the thickness of 1 micron.

The black matrix in the TFT-LCD panel is fabricated on the arraysubstrate. The passivation layer in the array substrate is made of theblack insulation material. Meanwhile, by designing the mask plate, thepassivation layer covering the gate line, the data line and the thinfilm transistor is retained, but the passivation layer covering thepixel display region and the passivation layer at the via hole areremoved. In this way, the aperture ratio is effectively improved.

In the fabrication method of the array substrate according to someembodiments, only the material for forming the passivation layer and themask plate for forming the via hole are changed compared to theconventional method for fabricating the array substrate, without addingany new apparatus or process. The fabrication method of the arraysubstrate according to some embodiments is applied to the TFT-LCD panelof ADS mode, IPS mode, TN mode and the like, and the aperture ratio iseffectively improved.

According to some embodiments, a fabrication method of the display panelis provided. The method comprises the fabrication method of the arraysubstrate as described above and a fabrication method of the oppositesubstrate. In some embodiments, the fabrication method of the oppositesubstrate comprises the following steps.

S21: forming the color filter layer on the base substrate of theopposite substrate;

S22: forming the protective layer on the base substrate after the stepS21;

S23: forming a spacer on the base substrate after the step S22. Thespacer is the columnar spacer.

In the TFT-LCD display panel of ADS mode or IPS mode, the fabricationmethod of the opposite substrate further comprises a step of: formingthe transparent conductive layer on the side of the base substrateopposite to the color filter layer. The transparent conductive layerserves as the shield electrode layer to shield the interference of theexternal electric field.

In the TFT-LCD display panel of TN mode, the fabrication method of theopposite substrate further comprises a step of: forming the transparentconductive layer on the color filter layer. The transparent conductivelayer is used as the common electrode layer.

The transparent conductive layer is made of ITO, IZO or othertransparent conductive materials. The color filter layer is a matrix ofcolor photoresist.

In some embodiments, the process for forming the black matrix on theopposite substrate is omitted, thus the apparatus investment andproduction cost are reduced. In addition, the color filter layer isdirectly formed on the base substrate, and thereby the adverse influenceof the segment difference at the pixel corner on the surface evenness ofthe opposite substrate is eliminated. The fabrication method of thedisplay panel according to some embodiments is applied to the TFT-LCDpanel of ADS mode, IPS mode, TN mode and the like.

The foregoing embodiments merely are exemplary embodiments of thedisclosure, and not intended to define the scope of the disclosure, andthe scope of the disclosure is determined by the appended claims.

1. An array substrate, wherein a passivation layer of the arraysubstrate is made of a black insulation material and the passivationlayer is provided with an opening at a pixel display region of the arraysubstrate.
 2. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein thearray substrate further comprises a base substrate and a plurality ofgate lines and a plurality of data lines that are formed on the basesubstrate; the plurality of gate lines and the plurality of data linesintersect with each other to define a plurality of pixel units; eachpixel unit comprises a pixel electrode and a thin film transistor; andthe passivation layer covers the gate line, the data line and the thinfilm transistor.
 3. The array substrate according to claim 1, wherein anoptical density of the passivation layer is no less than
 4. 4. The arraysubstrate according to claim 1, wherein a relative dielectric constantof the black insulation material is 6-7.
 5. The array substrateaccording to claim 3, wherein a thickness of the passivation layer is noless than ${\frac{4}{n}\mspace{14mu} {\mu m}},$ where n represents theoptical density of the black insulation material with a thickness of 1micron.
 6. A display panel, comprising an array substrate according toclaim
 1. 7. The display panel according to claim 6, wherein the displaypanel further comprises an opposite substrate and a liquid crystal layerprovided between the array substrate and the opposite substrate; and theopposite substrate does not comprise a black matrix.
 8. A fabricationmethod of an array substrate, comprising: forming a thin filmtransistor, a gate line, and a data line on a base substrate; andforming a black insulation material film on the base substrate, andforming a passivation layer by a patterning process, wherein thepassivation layer is provided with an opening at a pixel display region.9. The fabrication method of the array substrate according to claim 8,wherein the forming the thin film transistor, the gate line, and thedata line on the base substrate comprises: forming a gate metal film onthe base substrate, and forming the gate electrode and the gate line bya patterning process; forming a gate insulating layer on the basesubstrate; and forming a semiconductor thin film, a doped semiconductorthin film and a source-drain metal film on the base substrate, andforming an active layer, the data line, a source electrode and a drainelectrode by a patterning process. 10-11. (canceled)
 12. The arraysubstrate according to claim 2, wherein the pixel display regioncorresponds to the pixel electrode.
 13. The array substrate according toclaim 2, wherein the passivation layer is provided with a via hole at adrain electrode of the thin film transistor.
 14. The array substrateaccording to claim 2, wherein the passivation layer is simultaneouslyused as a black matrix.
 15. The array substrate according to claim 3,wherein the optical density is the logarithm of the ratio between theincident light and the transmission light, or is the logarithm of thereciprocal of light transmittance.
 16. The display panel according toclaim 7, wherein the opposite substrate comprises a base substrate, acolor filter layer and a spacer.
 17. The display panel according toclaim 16, wherein the opposite substrate comprises a protective layercovering an outer surface of the color filter layer.
 18. The displaypanel according to claim 16, wherein the opposite substrate furthercomprises a transparent conductive layer, and the transparent conductivelayer is provided on a side of the base substrate opposite to the colorfilter layer so as to serve as a shield electrode layer.
 19. The displaypanel according to claim 16, wherein the opposite substrate furthercomprises a transparent conductive layer, and the transparent conductivelayer is provided on the color filter layer to serve as a commonelectrode layer.
 20. The fabrication method of the array substrateaccording to claim 8, wherein the passivation layer covers the gateline, the data line and the thin film transistor, and the passivationlayer is provided with a via hole at a drain electrode of the thin filmtransistor.